1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to mirrors, specifically to an ultra light weight, portable, shatterproof, latent heat actuated, condensation-free mirror for use in a bathroom, shower or other steamy environment.
2. Description of Prior Art
Many men prefer to shave in the shower due to the fact that a closer, more comfortable, shave can be attained. Facial hair can be removed much more easily because the beard and skin are softened by the warmth and humidity of the shower environment. The potential for irritating the skin is greatly reduced by shaving in the shower shaving cream or gel can also be rinsed from the face more thoroughly. Additionally, Many men appreciate the convenience of shaving in the shower due to the fact that it is more comfortable and takes less time. Shaving in the shower also alleviates the common problems of waiting for warm water at the bathroom sink and cleaning the sink after shaving. Many women also appreciate the fact that the sink does not require cleaning as frequently. Razors stay sharp longer when used on facial hair which has been softened by the shower and the frequency of purchasing high cost replacement blades for razors is reduced. Many women chose to remove makeup, apply skin treatments, or pluck eyebrows in the warm, humid environment of the shower.
A typical mirror will not facilitate these desires due to the build up of condensation which occurs on the surface of the mirror in the shower environment. There are also significant safety concerns associated with utilizing a non-shatterproof mirror in the shower. In response to consumer need, shower safe, fog free shower mirrors have been developed and successfully marketed in the United States and overseas for more than ten years. There are several existing technologies and related patents which have here to fore been utilized to create a fog free mirrored surface for use in the shower.
The existing technologies which have been designed to achieve a fog resistant surface for use in the bathroom or shower can be grouped in to three distinct classes. The classes consist of; mirrors which are coated with a fog resistant organic material, mirrors which are heated via conduction from the rear by the shower stream or circulating hot water, and mirrors heated via conduction from the rear by stationary warm water reservoirs. Each of these technologies is somewhat expensive and has significant drawbacks which are overcome by the product described in this patent application.
There are many commercially available mirrors which are treated with an organic based fog resistant coatings. The Fog-Free Mirror Device in U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,265 issued to Jahoda, Mar. 28, 1995 describes a flexible fog free mirror which utilizes a type of fog-resistant coating. The primary problem with fog resistant coatings is that it is that they are temporary in nature and wear off after a period of time, resulting in a non fog resistant mirror. A secondary, but significant, problem with the coatings is that they attract dust and soap residue therefore requiring frequent cleaning. Frequent cleaning acts very quickly to remove the condensation resistant coatings. The condensation resistant coatings tend to cause water to stream down the surface of the mirror in channels, distorting the image seen in the mirror. Fog resistant coatings also add cost to the product and reduce the overall clarity of the mirror.
There have been many patents issued for fog resistant mirrors that are heated via conduction from the rear by warm water. These systems redirect, or are placed in front of, the warm shower stream to heat the back side of mirror assembly and require heat energy to be transmitted to the front side of the mirror in an effort to deter fogging.
(Water Heated Mirror U.S. Pat. No. 3,594,063 to Smillie Jul. 20, 1971)
(Water Heated Mirror for Condensation Control U.S. Pat. No. 3,708,218 to Smillie Jan. 2, 1973)
(Condensation-Free Shower Mirror U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,668 to Christianson Jun. 6, 1989)
(No-Fog Magnifying Shower Mirror U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,072 to Christianson Feb. 27, 1990)
(Condensation-Free Shower Mirror U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,821 to Christianson Feb. 2, 1991)
(Condensation-Free Shower Mirror U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,015 to Christianson Jul. 16, 1991)
(Condensation-Free Shower Mirror U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,633 to Christianson Feb. 18, 1997)
The mirrors described in these patents utilize piping, valves, or support mechanisms which make the systems very expensive to manufacture. This type of mirror is also fairly large and not convenient for traveling. Most of these mirrors are cumbersome to install because they must be incorporated into the existing shower plumbing system. This causes a significant lack of portability which presents a significant draw back. Water circulating rear heated mirrors often take significant time to clear, or do not clear completely. Water flow on the back side of the mirror surface tends to form channels and only partially heat the back side of the mirror, which can result in only localized areas which are free of condensation. A high volume water flow from the shower stream must be redirected, or partially blocked, in order to create a complete fog free surface on the front side of the mirror. In most cases, water is diverted away from the shower stream and not returned, resulting in a loss of shower water pressure and a diminished volume of water delivered to the user. Additional coatings which are often required to stop the erosion of the back of the mirrored surface can significantly inhibit heat transfer and increase time for the mirror to clear.
The third type of fog resistant mirrors designed to be used in the shower are those which are heated from the rear via conduction by stationary warm water reservoirs.
(Condensate-Free Grooming Mirror U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,559 to Odell, Apr. 7, 1987)
(Non-Fogging Shower Mirror U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,475 to Daniels, May 23, 1989)
(Portable Condensation-Free Shower Mirror U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,635 to Christianson, May 16, 1995)
Although stationary reservoir type mirrors provide a uniformly clear fog resistant surface, they are inherently bulky in nature and expensive to produce. The reservoirs must be filled with warm water each time they are used. The warm water reservoirs are relatively heavy and require a more robust attachment mechanism to suspend them from the wall of the shower. This system is also much more expensive and complicated than the system being described in this patent application.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the invention are to provide a latent heat actuated condensation-free shower mirror which can be very quickly heated in the shower stream via both the front and back sides, which will reach the shower stream temperature in a only a few seconds, which can easily be returned to an insulating retainer arm, which will automatically position the mirror substrate for optimum latent heat retention, which will remain condensation free for an extended period of time, which can be positioned for optimum convenience, which can be very easily mounted or removed from any smooth surface, which is extremely compact and portable, which is distortion free and extremely high in clarity, which provides a mirror surface that is kept clean and free from residue through normal use, which is shatterproof and durable, which is very dependable and easy to use, which is extremely light weight and excellent for traveling, which is inexpensive to manufacture, which utilizes convenient non-attached razor/tooth brush holder so as not to impede usage of the mirror and to provide further flexibility in location of shower mirror.
Other object and advantages of the invention are to provide a latent heat actuated condensation-free shower mirror, which does not require the mirror to be positioned in front of the shower stream for and extended period of time, which does not require the shower stream to be obstructed and cause inconvenience to the user, which does not require coatings on the mirror back to deter erosion of the reflective surface, which does not require expensive or complicated mirror positioning apparatus, which eliminates the need for hot water circulation systems and modifications to shower plumbing, which does not require expensive internal plumbing and/or valves which complicate operation, which does not require water to be diverted from the shower, which provides much greater portability, which provides much greater flexibility in placement of the mirror in the shower, which eliminates the need to adjust valves or fill reservoirs, which eliminates the need for a stationary reservoirs or bladders as a source of heat, which provides great reductions in size and allows for a much less complicated attachment system, which eliminates problems with leakage or spillage of the heating water which eliminates the need for fog-resistant coatings, which does not promote image distortion, which does not attract dust or soap deposits and does not require frequent cleaning, which is not limited in effectiveness by coatings which wear off or are removed by cleaning. Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.